IMPROVED SNOWSHOE AND BINDING ASSEMBLY

Abstract: A snowshoe (10) which provides improved sideslip protection, forward tracking guidance and overall stability is provided. The snowshoe (10) includes a convex flotation plate (12) and side bars (14 and 16). The side bars (14 and 16) provide sideslip protection and rigidity which makes it possible to construct the flotation plate (12) from lightweight semi-rigid or somewhat flexible material. Channels (34, 36 and 38) are formed in a rear portion (40) of snowshoe (10) which, together with the convex flotation plate (12) and side bars (14 and 16), enhance forward tracking guidance as well as provide additional rigidity to the somewhat flexible flotation plate (12). A variable length snowshoe (200) is also disclosed to accommodate changing snow conditions or snowshoeing applications. The snowshoe (200) includes a flotation plate (202) and at least one detachable tail extender (204). Additionally, a snowshoe binding (304) which provides improved foot stability is disclosed. The binding (304) includes a heel stabilizing extension (308) and a flexible footwrap assembly (310) which cooperate to stabilize the wearer's foot (316).

Description: IMPROVED SNOWSHOE AND BINDING ASSEMBLY FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to snowshoeing and, in particular, to a novel snowshoe and binding which provides improved foot stability (especially heel stability) , adjustable flotation characteristics, improved side, forward and reverse slip protection, forward tracking guidance and overall stability and lightweight material options. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION According to some historians, the first snowshoes were developed about 6,000 years ago in Central Asia. Snowshoes have been used in North America for many centuries, first by native American peoples and later by trappers, explorers and other European settlers. Traditionally, snowshoes were formed from light oval or teardrop shaped wooden frames strung with thongs made from animal hide. The resulting snowshoe could then be strapped to a person's foot, i.e., directly or via footgear, so as to enable the person to walk in soft snow without sinking too deeply. Today, snowshoes are most commonly used for recreation and by mountaineers to facilitate winter access to remote backcountry locations. Although the materials and production techniques have changed, modern snowshoes have much in common with traditional snowshoes developed over the centuries. Fig. 1 illustrates some features of one type of snowshoe 1 in common use today. The general shape of the snowshoe 1 is defined by a tubular perimeter structure 2 which is ordinarily formed from aluminum. The requisite flotation surface area is typically provided by webbing or a platform 3, formed from animal hide or synthetic materials, which is connected to the tubular perimeter structure 2 via sturdy lacing 4 or rivets. The snowshoe 1 is attached to the wearer's foot via footgear 5 using a toestrap 6, and an additional heel strap 7 is usually provided. Often, a hinged metal device or so-called crampon 8 which extends through an opening 9 in platform 3 is provided to improve forward traction on hills or ice. Despite the long evolution of the snowshoe art, current snowshoes are subject to certain limitations. For example, when the snowshoer traverses a steep hill, current snowshoes are highly susceptible to side slippage. Similarly, current snowshoes can slip forwardly or rearwardly when a hill is addressed directly, particularly in icy conditions. In addition to being a source of annoyance, such slipping can be a matter of grave safety concern for the backcountry mountaineer. Conventional snowshoes do not always provide adequate protection against forward, rearward and side slippage. Another limitation of current snowshoes is that the snowshoes have invariable flotation characteristics relating to the size of the snowshoe. However, the desired flotation characteristics of a snowshoe vary from user-to- user, from application-to-application, and depending on snow conditions or other factors. For example, a larger snowshoe is normally better for a heavier snowshoer, when carrying a heavy pack or when snowshoeing in deep and soft snow. Smaller snowshoes are typically preferred for running or racing (as is becoming increasingly popular) . Many avid snowshoeing enthusiasts therefore have more than one pair of snowshoes. This is not a completely satisfactory situation for a number of reasons. First, the expense of acquiring more than one pair of snowshoes is prohibitive for many. In addition, the snowshoer cannot always accurately predict what conditions may be encountered during an outing. Snow conditions can change rapidly, particularly in back-country mountaineering expeditions involving large altitude changes. Moreover, for outings lasting several days, conditions may change due to storms, wind, temperature changes and other weather phenomena. Furthermore, as can be readily appreciated, it is not always convenient to store and carry more than one pair of snowshoes. Current snowshoes as described above are also subject to a certain instability relating to snow compaction. In particular, as the snowshoer places weight on the snowshoe, the platform tends to flex to a concave shape. As a result, snow may be forced towards the snowshoe perimeter rather than providing stable support under the snowshoer's foot. Additionally, current snowshoes tend to create resistance to the shuffling movement entailed in forward snowshoeing. In this regard, the tubular perimeter and angled orientation of common snowshoe perimeter structures result in snow plowing when the snowshoe is shuffled in a forward direction. Moreover, current snowshoes generally do not facilitate forward tracking, i.e., even on flat ground, current snowshoes can easily drift transversely to the desired direction of travel during shuffling. The snowshoe binding has also presented persistent challenges for snowshoe designers as many desired binding qualities seemingly demand incompatible design features. For example, the binding must be able to securely accommodate a variety of footgear sizes and styles in order to be suitable for general use. However, in order to facilitate proper snowshoeing motion and reduce strain on the snowshoer, the binding must provide excellent lateral foot stability, limit vertical movement of the snowshoer's footgear, and limit forward or rearward slipping of the footgear as may occur in hilly terrain. In addition, it is highly desirable to provide a binding which can be quickly and easily attached and detached even though the snowshoer's finger dexterity may be limited due to coldness or handgear. Accordingly, there is a need for an improved snowshoe which addresses the limitations and challenges facing snowshoe designers. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The snowshoe of the present invention is designed to provide variable flotation characteristics, improved protection against slipping, improved forward tracking guidance and overall stability and reduced weight. In addition, the present invention includes a binding which is easy to construct and use, yet is capable of securely and stably engaging a variety of footgear and footgear sizes. According to one aspect of the present invention, a snowshoe includes a flotation plate, a pair of side bars projecting downwardly from the flotation plate's lower snow contact surface and at least one rib formed in the flotation plate. The flotation plate is preferably formed from a lightweight and rigid or semi-rigid material such as thermal formed plastic. The side bars, which can be formed as an integral portion of the flotation plate or formed as separate pieces for attachment to the flotation plate, are laterally spaced for stability. The snowshoe preferably includes at least one rib defining an indentation in the bottom surface of the flotation plate and extending longitudinally from a trailing end of the flotation plate past the rear end of the side bars. Preferably, the snowshoe includes two such ribs, one adjacent to each of the side bars. In this manner, the torsional rigidity of the snowshoe is enhanced, particularly at the location of the rear and forward ends of the side bars. This allows for use of a thinner and lighter flotation plate than would otherwise be possible. Ribs may also be provided at the front end of the snowshoe extending past the front ends of the side bars. In one embodiment, the flotation plate has an opening through which a crampon and a forward portion of the snowshoer's foot can project, and the side bars are positioned adjacent the side edges of the opening. The side bars extend substantially linearly along the length of the flotation plate and preferably have narrow bottom and frontal profiles. In addition, the side bars have a length which is at least about equal to the length of the snowshoer's foot. The side bars can also include a lower edge having indentations, e.g., teeth, for improved traction. The side bar indentations are preferably formed with rounded upper extremities for improved fracture resistance. The side bars provide a number of advantages relative to conventional snowshoes. First, the side bars penetrate into the snow during use and thereby afford positive protection against sideslipping. The side bars therefore provide for greater safety when traversing steep terrain. The side bars also impart improved torsional rigidity to the flotation plate so that the material requirements of the flotation plate can be reduced and a lighter weight snowshoe can be achieved. Moreover, the crampon can be connected to the side bars thereby shortening the crampon connection and reducing strain on the connection assembly. The side bars also penetrate the snow during shuffling movement substantially without plowing and contribute to forward tracking guidance. By providing a toothed lower edge on the side bars, improved traction and protection against forward or rearward slipping can also be imparted. According to another aspect of the invention, a snowshoe with variable flotation characteristics is provided. The snowshoe comprises a flotation plate and at least one extension member which is detachably coupled to the flotation plate for selectively increasing the snow contact surface area of the snowshoe. Preferably, more than one extension member is provided to allow for a variety of snow contact surface areas. In one embodiment, the extension members comprise tail extenders which can be attached to a rearward portion of the flotation plate to increase the length of the snowshoe. An alignment mechanism can be provided to assist in attachment of the extension members and to insure stable alignment of the extension members during use. For example, the alignment members may comprise a mating coupling between the flotation plate and the extension members. Preferably, alignment is accomplished by providing mating longitudinal ribs in the flotation plate and extension members. Although a particular embodiment of the variable length snowshoe is described below, it will be appreciated that the variable length concept is applicable to various types of snowshoes. Another aspect of the present invention relates to providing a binding with improved lateral foot stability. It has been found that certain snowshoe bindings are susceptible to lateral foot instability during use. In particular, the wearer's heel may tend to move from side- to-side relative to the snowshoe, particularly when traversing a steep side slope. This problem is addressed in accordance with the present invention by providing a binding including a flexible footwrap attached to a support member which underlies the wearer's foot, wherein the support member has a length sufficient to underlie a majority of the wearer's foot. Preferably, the support member is at least six inches in length. This length can be provided via a heel extension which extends beneath the arch of the wearer's foot to or towards the wearer's heel. In one embodiment, a binding for use in attaching a device, e.g., a snow transportation device such as a snowshoe or cross-country ski, to a wearer's foot, directly or via footgear, is provided. The binding includes a toe strap for engaging a toe portion of the wearer's foot, a heel strap for engaging a heel portion of the wearer's foot, and a foot wrap for wrapping about sections of the foot. The foot wrap is preferably formed from flexible material which is resistant to cold cracking. The foot wrap includes a base portion underlying the ball of the wearer's foot, an optional toe flap portion extending around the front edge and over the toe of the wearer's foot, and side portions extending around the side of the wearer's foot from the ball to the instep sections of the wearer's foot. The binding further includes attachment structures for interconnecting the toe strap to the side portions and toe flap portion of the foot wrap and for interconnecting the heel strap to the side portions of the foot wrap. For example, the attachment structures can include wing portions extending from the foot wrap and/or stitching, rivets or other fasteners. The binding can further include an instep strap and an attachment structure for interconnecting the instep strap to the side portions of the foot wrap. The binding can thus accommodate footgear of various sizes and styles, restrict vertical and horizontal movement of the footgear, and provide excellent lateral stability. In addition, the foot wrap can be formed using a single die cut for ease of construction. An additional aspect of the present invention relates to limiting the range of pivotal motion of the snowshoe binding components relative to the remainder of the snowshoe. This is useful, for example, to facilitate lifting of the snowshoe out of the snow or over obstacles as may be desired and to prevent the snowshoe tip from contacting the wearer's shin. In accordance with the present invention, the range of pivotal motion can be limited by providing a rigid member which is interconnected to one of the binding and the snowshoe and extends into a travel path of the other of the binding and snowshoe (or member which is interconnected thereto) to limit the range of relative movement therebetween. In one embodiment, the snowshoe includes a first member which extends from the snowshoe, a second member which extends from the snowshoe binding, and a protrusion which extends from one of the first and second members towards or into the travel path of the other member. The first and second members are pivotally interconnected such that there is relative movement between the members during use. The protrusion limits the range of this movement. For example, the protrusion can be located on the first member (forwardly or rearwardly) of the pivot location such that the second member abuts against the protrusion when a selected limit is reached. Conversely, the protrusion can extend from the second member into a mating groove on the first member such that the groove defines a range of relative motion. It will be appreciated that various features of the present invention, such as particular features relating to the binding components, are useful in connection with a variety of snowshoes. According to a still further aspect of the present invention, the snowshoe is provided with brakes to resist undesired forward or rearward sliding. The snowshoe comprises a flotation plate, first and second longitudinal side bars, and a braking mechanism disposed adjacent to at least one of the side bars and angled relative to the side bar. The braking mechanism preferably comprises first and second brake members extending downwardly from the flotation plate. Each of the brake members is positioned adjacent one of the side bars and angled relative to that side bar. For example, the first and second brake members may be configured in a generally "v" shaped configuration with a small space provided between the two brake members. Preferably the "v" shaped configuration is oriented such that the widened end of the configuration is closest to the rear of the snowshoe. In this manner the braking mechanism provides a braking force to resist both forward and rearward sliding. Specifically, when the snowshoe slides forwardly, a braking force is exerted due to constricted snow flow between the brake members and the side bars. When the snowshoe slides rearwardly, a braking force is exerted due to constricted snow flow between the two brake members. Preferably, the brake mechanism is detachably coupled to the flotation plate so that the brake mechanism can be removed when speed is desired, e.g., racing. According to another aspect of the invention, a snowshoe includes a semi-rigid flotation plate which has at least one recessed channel formed in its lower, snow contact surface. In one embodiment, three channels are provided. The channels extend longitudinally along a rear portion to a rear edge of the snowshoe so that, during forward travel, snow travels through the channels and exits the channels at the rear edge. The channels thereby enhance forward tracking guidance. According to a still further aspect of the present invention, a snowshoe with a de-icing crampon is provided. The snowshoe comprises a flotation plate and a de-icing crampon pivotally connected to the flotation plate. The crampon includes a substantially rigid platform having an aperture and a flexible covering disposed on the platform so as to cover the aperture. Preferably the aperture has a transverse width of at least about two inches and a longitudinal length of at least about one inch. More preferably, the aperture has a transverse width of at least about three inches and a longitudinal length of about two inches. In this manner, the flexible covering flexes into and out of the aperture during use such that ice build up is hindered. According to yet another aspect of the present invention, a device for facilitating manipulation of a hand operated adjustment mechanism, such as a buckle, zipper or the like, is provided. For example, the device can be used in connection with a strap buckle on a snowshoe binding to facilitate adjustment of the binding when the user's fingers are cold, the user is wearing mittens, or finger dexterity is otherwise impaired. The device comprises a unitary tab member formed from flexible material. The tab member includes a first widened portion, a second widened portion, and a narrowed portion disposed between the first and second widened portions. The first widened portion has an opening and a first tapered end for threadably engaging an aperture of the hand operated adjustment mechanism. The second widened portion has a second tapered end for threadably engaging the opening of the first widened portion. The tab member can be attached to the hand operated adjustment mechanism by threading the first widened portion through the aperture of the hand operated adjustment mechanism, wrapping the tab member around a portion of the hand operated adjustment mechanism, and inserting the second widened portion through the opening of the first widened portion until the narrowed portion is received within the opening. The narrowed portion thus serves to secure the tab member in place. During use, the outwardly extending second widened portion provides a relatively large tab to assist in manipulating the hand operated adjustment mechanism. The second widened portion may be provided with an opening to further assist in gripping thereof. In addition, each of the first and second widened portions can be provided with a tongue to assist in threading. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1, as described in the Background of the Invention, illustrates some features of one type of prior art snowshoe; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a snowshoe constructed in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 3 is a bottom view showing the flotation plate and side bars of the snowshoe of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a side view of the flotation plate and side bars of the snowshoe of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a cut-away front view of the flotation plate, side bars and crampon of the snowshoe of Fig. 2; Fig. 6 is a bottom view showing the interconnection between the crampon and side bars of the snowshoe of Fig. 2; Fig. 7 is a side view of the crampon of the snowshoe of Fig. 2; Fig. 8 is a top plan drawing showing the unfolded shape of the foot wrap of the snowshoe of Fig. 2; Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a snowshoe constructed in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention showing attachment of a tail extender; Fig. 10 is a bottom view of the snowshoe of Fig. 9 with an optional second tail extender shown in phantom; Fig. 11 is an elevational plan view of a side bar where the dashed lines indicate where the side bar will be bent to allow for attachment to the snowshoe flotation plate; Fig. 12 shows the unfolded shape of the foot wrap of the snowshoe of Fig. 9; Fig. 13 shows the pre-formed shape of the crampon of the snowshoe of Fig. 9; Fig. 14 shows the unfolded shape of the gripping tab of the snowshoe of Fig. 9; Fig. 15 is a side view of the crampon of the snowshoe of Fig. 9; Fig. 16 is a perspective view of a snowshoe constructed in accordance with the present invention showing a binding incorporating a heel stabilizing extension; Fig. 17 is a bottom view of a binding support plate incorporating a heel stabilizing extension in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 18 is a bottom view of a binding support plate incorporating a heel stabilizing extension in accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention; and Fig. 19 is a side view showing a motion limiting protrusion constructed in accordance with the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to Figs. 2-8, a snowshoe constructed in accordance with the present invention is generally identified by the reference numeral 10. Generally, the snowshoe 10 comprises a flotation plate 12, side bars 14 and 16, a crampon 18 and a binding 20. In the illustrated embodiment, the binding is designed for attachment to a snowshoer's footgear 28. The flotation plate 12 can be formed from any of various lightweight semi-rigid materials such as various plastics. The illustrated flotation plate 12 is formed from 3/16 or 1/8 inch thick thermal formed, high density polyethylene which provides adequate strength and rigidity and allows for simple and inexpensive construction. The overall dimensions of the flotation plate 12 can be varied depending on the weight or skill of the snowshoer, the size of the snowshoer's footgear 28, local snow conditions, the load being carried or other factors. In this regard, the snowshoe 10 can be provided, for example, in various lengths (e.g., 22 inches, 26 inches or 30 inches) and widths (e.g. , 8 inches or 9 inches) to accommodate a range of conditions. The illustrated flotation plate 12 has a length L-, of about 26 inches and a width W, of about 8 inches. The shape of the flotation plate 12 is further defined by a number of molded curves and channels and a central cut-out 24. The cut-out 24 is provided to allow the crampon 18 and a toe section 26 of the snowshoer's footgear 28 to extend through the flotation plate 12 for improved traction. The illustrated cut-out 24 has a length L 2 of about 8.75 inches and a width W 2 of about 5.25 inches. The flotation plate 12 can also be provided with perforations (not shown) to minimize snowshoe weight. In order to facilitate forward shuffling of the snowshoe 10 through snow, the tip portion 30 of the flotation plate 12 adjacent leading edge 32 is curved upwardly. The upward curve begins just forward of the cut¬ out 24, about 5 inches from leading edge 32. The curve defines an approximately 36° angle relative to horizontal such that the forwardmost point of leading edge 32 is elevated to a height H of about 3.75 inches relative to the base of flotation plate 12. As will be better understood upon consideration of the description below, the upward curve is actually a compound curve resulting from the blending of the upward tip projection and the overall convex frontal profile of the flotation plate 12 as can be see in Fig. 5. In the illustrated embodiment, the flotation plate 12 further includes a pair of side channels 34 and 36 and a central channel 38, each of which extends along a rear portion 40 of the flotation plate 12 to rear edge 42. The channels are formed as recesses into the underside of flotation plate 12. The illustrated central channel is about 1/2 - 3/4 inch wide, 1/2 - 3/4 inch deep and its front edge 44 is located rearwardly from cut-out 24. The side channels 34 and 36 are slightly smaller than the central channel 38, e.g., about 3/8 - 1/2 inch wide and 3/8 - 1/2 inch deep. During forward travel, snow passes through the channels 34, 36 and 38 and exits at the rear edge 42 of the snowshoe 10 such that the channels 34, 36 and 38 enhance forward tracking guidance. These channels 34, 36 and 38 also add rigidity to the rear portion 40 of the flotation plate 12. In an alternative embodiment (not shown) , the side channels are eliminated, the side bars extend further towards the rear edge of the flotation plate and the central channel is enlarged. In addition, the central channel has a tapered profile which extends upwardly relative to the flotation plate such that the snowshoer's footgear is urged forwardly due to the taper inclination. As can be most clearly seen in Fig. 5, the flotation plate 12 has a convex frontal profile such that the side edges 46 are positioned lower than a central portion 48 of the flotation plate 12. In the illustrated embodiment, this profile is defined by a radius of curvature of about 12 inches. When the snowshoer places weight on the snowshoe 10 thereby forcing the flotation plate 12 downwardly into the snow, the convex frontal profile causes snow to gather or move towards the center of the flotation plate 12 so that a stable snow platform is provided beneath the snowshoer's foot. In addition, as the snowshoer shuffles forwardly, the convex flotation plate 12 forms a snow ridge which further assists in forward tracking guidance. The snowshoe 10 further includes a pair of side bars 14 and 16 which project downwardly from flotation plate 12. The side bars 14 and 16 can be molded into flotation plate 12 or formed separately for attachment to flotation plate 12. The illustrated side bars 14 and 16 are formed from 3/32 inch thick aluminum and are attached to flotation plate 12 via rivets, screws or other fasteners extending through side bar flanges 54 and 56 into flotation plate 12. The side bars 14 and 16 thereby have narrow frontal and bottom profiles which facilitate snow penetration. The angle between each of the flanges 54 and 56 and the corresponding downward projections 58 and 60 of side bars 14 and 16 is formed such that the projections 58 and 60 extend substantially vertically downward when the flanges 54 and 56 are attached to the convex lower surface of flotation plate 12. The side bars 14 and 16 preferably have a length 1^ which is at least about as great as the length of the snowshoer's footgear 28. In this regard, the illustrated side bars 14 and 16 are about 12 inches long and are positioned such that the front edges 62 and 64 thereof are about 1/2 inch forward from cut-out 24. The side bars extend substantially linearly from the front edges 62 and 64 to the rear edges 66 and 68 thereof and are oriented parallel to the direction of forward travel so that substantially no snow plowing occurs during shuffling. In addition, the front edges 62 and 64 in the illustrated embodiment are beveled to further facilitate snow penetration and to allow the side bars 14 and 16 to smoothly ride up over obstructions. The depth of the downward projections 58 and 60 is selected such that the side bars 14 and 16 provide protection against side slipping of the snowshoe 10 and also allow for extension of the crampon 18 below the side bars 14 and 16 for improved forward traction on hills or ice or braking when descending same. Furthermore, the depth of the side bars 14 and 16 is preferably about equal to the depth of the crampon claws when the crampon 18 is in a level orientation. The illustrated side bars 14 and 16 extend downwardly about 9/10 inch from flotation plate 12. If desired, the side bars 14 and 16 can be serrated for additional traction. In addition to protecting against side slipping, it will be appreciated that the illustrated side bars 14 and 16 further enhance forward tracking guidance and impart longitudinal torsional rigidity to the snowshoe 10 and allow the use of somewhat flexible materials in the flotation plate 12.. As shown most clearly in Figs. 5-6, the side bars 14 and 16 are spaced across the width of the snowshoe 10. Preferably, the side bars 14 and 16 are spaced by a distance at least about as great as the width of the snowshoer's footgear 28. In the illustrated embodiment, the side bars 14 and 16 are positioned adjacent the sides of cut-out 24 with the flanges 54 and 56 projecting outwardly. This positioning allows the crampon 18 to be attached to the side bars 14 and 16 such that the crampon connection is short and stress on the connection is minimal as it is substantially totally in shear. The illustrated crampon 18 is connected directly to the side bars 14 and 16 using pins 88 which allow for pivoting of the crampon 18 with the snowshoer's footgear 28. The crampon 18, which can be formed from a number of materials, such as plate steel or aluminum, includes a number of front claws 70 at its front edge 72 and a number of rear claws 74 at its rear edge 76 for traction. The front claws 70 and rear claws 76 each define an obtuse angle, e.g., approximately 95°, relative to the crampon base for improved forward and rearward traction. In addition, the crampon includes a widened portion 78 provided with downwardly projecting wings 80 for attachment to the side bars 14 and 16. The attachment pins 88 are positioned on snowshoe 10 such that more of the snowshoe weight is located rearwardly of the pins 88 so that the snowshoe tip portions 30 naturally rotate upwardly. To reduce weight, perforations 82 can be formed in crampon 18. Furthermore, in order to minimize icing of the crampon 18, the crampon 18 can be covered with a plastic material 84. The laminate 84 can be attached to the crampon base, for example, via rivets inserted through holes 86. If desired, a flexible strap 51 (shown in phantom in Fig. 6) may be used to interconnect the crampon 18 to flotation plate 12 so as to limit the pivoting range of the crampon 18. The snowshoer's footgear 28 is attached to the snowshoe 10 by binding 20. The illustrated binding 20 includes a toe strap 90 which extends over a toe section 26 of footgear 28, an instep strap 92 which extends over an instep section 108 of footgear 28, a heel strap 94 which extends around heel section 95 of footgear 28 and foot wrap 96 which wraps about portions of footgear 28. Each of the straps 90, 92 and 94 is provided with an adjustable glide buckle 98 formed from substantially rigid plastic to allow for convenient and quick tightening of the straps 90, 92 and 94 by simply pulling on the strap ends. The foot wrap 96, which is preferably formed from a strong, flexible water repellent material, is attached to the crampon 18 using fasteners such as rivets or stitching, which can be the same fasteners used to attach the material 84 to the crampon 18. In the illustrated embodiment, the foot wrap is formed from vinyl coated polyester to provide the desired strength, flexibility and waterproof properties and resistance to cold cracking. Fig. 8 shows a top plan view of the unfolded foot wrap 96. The foot wrap 96 includes a base portion 100 for attachment to the crampon 18, right 102 and left 104 side portions which wrap around the footgear 28 from the ball section 106 to the instep section 108 thereof, and a toe flap portion 110 which extends around the front edge 112 and over the toe section 26 of the footgear 28. In addition, the foot wrap 96 includes toe wings 116, instep wings 118 and heel wings 120 for attachment to the respective toe strap 90, instep strap 92 and heel strap 94. The wings 116, 118 and 120 on one side of foot wrap 96 are attached to the straps 90, 92 and 94 by threading the wings 116, 118 and 120 through one side of the buckles 98, doubling the wings 116, 118 and 120 over on themselves, and stitching or otherwise attaching the wings 116, 118 and 120 to themselves or adjacent portions of the foot wrap 96. The straps 90, 92, and 94 are then threaded through the other side of the buckles 98 to complete the attachment. On the opposite side of foot wrap 96, the wings 116, 118 and 120 can be connected directly to the straps 90, 92 and 94. The toe flap portion 110 is widened and includes an opening 122 at the area corresponding to the front edge 112 of footgear 28. This allows the toe flap portion 110 to flare around the front edge 112 of footgear 28 so as to securely engage the same and enhance both lateral and longitudinal stability. The toe flap portion 110 is further secured by threading the toe strap 90 through slits 124 in toe flap portion 110. The illustrated binding 20 thus provides excellent lateral foot stability and securely limits both longitudinal and vertical footgear movement. In addition, the binding 20 accommodates footgear 28 of various sizes and styles and is easily and quickly attached to or detached from footgear 28. The binding 20 is also suitable for use on either the left or the right foot, thereby allowing for interchangeability of the snowshoe 10. Referring to Figures 9-15, an alternative embodiment of the snowshoe 200 of the present invention incorporating additional features is illustrated. Generally, the snowshoe 200 includes: a flotation plate 202 with detachable tail extenders 204 and 206; a binding 208 with novel gripping tabs 210; toothed traction side bars 212; a de-icing crampon 214; and detachable brakes 216. The flotation plate 202 can be formed from a semi¬ rigid material, such as plastic, and is generally shaped as described above in connection with the embodiment of Figs. 2-8. However, the flotation plate 202 includes extended ribs 238 on front and rear portions thereof (as well as across the entire length of the tail extenders 204 and 206) for enhanced torsional rigidity, thereby allowing for a thinner and lighter flotation plate 202 than would otherwise be possible. Particular benefits are achieved by extending each of the ribs 238 past the front 240 and rear 242 ends of the traction bars 212 where large torsional forces are exerted. The ribs 238 are preferably positioned adjacent to the traction bars 212. The snowshoe 200 allows the snowshoer to vary the snowshoe flotation characteristics as may be desired. This can be accomplished by attaching extenders to vary the snowshoe length and, hence, the snow contact surface area. The illustrated snowshoe 200 is provided with two different lengths of tail extenders 204 and 206 which can be selectively attached to a rear portion of flotation plate 202. For example, the flotation plate can be about 22 inches long and the tail extenders 204 and 206 can provide for a total snowshoe length of 26 inches and 30 inches, respectively. These three lengths accommodate a great variety of conditions and applications. Any suitable means may be utilized for attaching the tail extenders 204 and 206 to the flotation plate 202. However, it will be appreciated that the resulting connection must be strong enough to withstand the pressures exerted thereon in use and should allow for easy attachment and removal, preferably without the need to remove hand gear. As shown, the tail extenders 204 and 206 are removably attachable to the flotation plate 202 via a conventional nut and bolt 218 arrangement. The same fasteners which form the rearwardmost connection between the traction bars 212 and the flotation plate 202 can be used to attach the tail extenders 204 and 206 for increased strength. To further facilitate attachment/detachment, a mechanism for assisting in alignment of the flotation plate 202 and tail extenders 204 and 206 can be provided. For example, appropriately positioned mating members, e.g., tongue and groove or abutting shoulders, can be formed on opposing surfaces of the flotation plate 202 and tail extenders 204 and 206 to ensure proper registration. In the illustrated embodiment, the mating ribs 238 of the flotation plate 202 and tail extenders 204 and 206, respectively, assist in such alignment and further serve to maintain alignment during use. The snowshoe 200 also includes detachable brakes 216 which work in cooperation with traction bars 212 to provide improved traction and resistance to forward and rearward sliding. The brakes 216 are formed from two plates 220 extending downwardly from the flotation plate 202 adjacent to the traction bars 212. The plates 220, which may be formed from aluminum, steel or other substantially rigid material, extend from the flotation plate slightly less distance than the traction bars 212, about 3/8", and can be oriented at about a 45° angle relative to the traction bars 212. In the illustrated embodiment, a space of about 3/4 inch is provided between the two plates 220 and between each of the plates 220 and the adjacent traction bar 212. The resulting "v" configuration of the brakes 216 is preferably oriented such that the widened end of the "v" is closest to the rear of the snowshoe. In this manner, a braking force is exerted during forward sliding due to constricted snow flow between the plates 220 and side bars 216 and during rearward sliding due to constricted snow flow between the plates 220. The plates 220 are detachably connected to the flotation plate 202 via conventional nut and bolt 222 assemblies extending through flotation plate 202 and the flanges 224 of plates 220. The construction of the traction bars 212 is generally similar to that of the side bars described above in connection with Figures 2-8. However, the illustrated trac ion bars 212 are further provided with teeth 226 formed on the lower edges 228 thereof. The teeth 226 provide enhanced traction on icy surfaces and further assist in preventing undesired forward or rearward slipping. The illustrated teeth 226 are formed with curved extremities for improved fracture resistance. In particular, the illustrated teeth are formed with a radius of curvature R 1 of about 1/8 inch defining the lower extremities and a radius of curvature, R j of about 1/16 inch defining the upper extremities. Although other curvatures may be used, the illustrated geometry has been found to provide a good combination of traction and fracture resistance. In addition, in the illustrated embodiment, the tooth pattern is interrupted at the point of attachment 230 of the crampon 214 to the traction bars 212, where fracturing stresses are greatest, to further guard against fracture. The attachment flanges 268 of the traction bars 212 can be scalloped to further reduce weight. The crampon 214 alleviates ice build-up problems associated with certain known crampon devices. The crampon 214 includes a rigid substrate 232, which may be formed from steel or other suitably strong material, constructed generally as described above in connection with the embodiment of Figs. 2-8, and a flexible diaphragm 234 attached to the substrate 232. The illustrated crampon has a number of forwardly angled claws 237 and rearwardly angled claws 239. Binding 208 is attached to the upper surface of substrate 232. The substrate 232 includes a relatively large aperture 236. The aperture 236 reduces the total weight of the crampon 214 and also cooperates with the diaphragm 234 to pop-out any accumulated ice on the crampon 214 during use. Specifically, during use, the diaphragm 234 flexes into and out of the aperture 236 as a natural result of the snowshoer's striding motion thereby preventing ice build¬ up. The aperture's length, L, is preferably at least one inch and width, W, is preferably at least two inches. The dimensions of the illustrated aperture are at least about: L = 2 inches; W = 3 inches. A protrusion 300 for limiting the range of pivotal motion of the crampon 214 is shown in Fig. 19. The protrusion 300, which can be formed by a pin, rivet or the like extending from either or both of the traction bars 212, is positioned so as to contact pivot arm 302 of substrate 232 when crampon 214 reaches a selected limit angle, A, (shown in phantom) thereby preventing further rotation. The angle A is preferably between 60° and 120° and, in the illustrated embodiment, is between about 70° and 80°. An alternative form of the binding 208 is also shown in connection with the embodiment of Figs. 9-15 (shown in Fig. 12 without straps) . The binding 208, like the binding described above in connection with the embodiment of Figs. 2-8, can advantageously be formed in a unitary construction from a sheet of heavy weight vinyl coated nylon. However, the binding 208 is constructed in an open-toe style and includes three straps 242 distributed over the toe-to-ball regions of the snowshoer's foot. As discussed above, the straps 242 can be secured by conventional glide buckles 244 formed from substantially rigid plastic, wherein the straps are tightened by pulling on strap ends 246 and loosened by lifting buckle ends 248. The binding 208 further includes a heel strap 250 which is preferably secured by a conventional snap buckle 252 for convenient entry and exit. It has been found that it is sometimes difficult to manipulate the glide buckles 244, and particularly to lift buckle ends 248 to loosen the straps 242, when the snowshoer is wearing hand gear, the snowshoer*s fingers are cold, or the snowshoer's finger dexterity is otherwise limited. This difficulty is alleviated in accordance with the present invention by providing gripping tabs 210 (Figs. 9 and 14) attached to the buckle ends 248 via an aperture provided therein. The gripping tabs 210 can be formed in a unitary construction from a sheet of the same flexible, durable, tear resistant material used in constructing the binding 208 and crampon diaphragm 234. As shown in Fig. 14, gripping tab 210 includes a first widened portion 254, a second widened portion 256 and a narrowed portion 258 positioned therebetween. Each of the widened portions 254 and 256 is tapered towards an outer end 260 thereof and can further be provided with an outwardly extending tongue 262 to assist in threading as will be understood from the following description. A gripping tab 210 is attached to a buckle 244 by threading the first widened portion 254 through the aperture in buckle end 248, wrapping the tab 210 about the buckle end 248 and pulling the second widened portion 256 through an opening 264 in the first widened portion 254 so that the narrowed portion 258 is seated in the opening 264. In this regard, the narrowed portion serves to lock the tab 210 in place. The opening 264 may be elongated as shown to facilitate threading of the second widened portion 256 therethrough. Additionally, a second opening 266 may be provided in the second widened portion 256 to facilitate gripping. It will be appreciated that the tab 210 is useful in a variety of hand operated adjustment mechanisms, such as zippers, other than the snowshoe strap buckle application shown. Referring to Figure 16, a perspective view of a binding 304 designed for improved foot stability is shown. The binding 304 comprises a binding support 307, including crampon portion 30, which can generally be constructed as described above, and heel stabilizing extension 308, and a footwrap assembly 310. The extension 308, which can be integral with the crampon portion 306 or formed separately for attachment to the crampon portion 306, extends rearwardly from the crampon portion beneath the arch 312 towards the heel 314 of the wearer's foot 316. The footwrap assembly 310 is generally constructed as described above, but is lengthened to correspond to the stabilizing extension 308. The illustrated binding 304 thus provides for enhanced foot stability, i.e., reduced side-to-side movement of the wearer's heel 314 during use. Figure 17 shows a bottom view of the crampon portion 306, heel extension 308 and a flotation plate 318 constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Although omitted for illustration purposes, a flexible laminate such as discussed above is preferably provided across the extent of the crampon portion 306 and heel extension 308. The laminate is attached by rivets or the like attached via holes 330. The illustrated crampon portion 306 and heel extension 308 are integrally formed from a single plate of rigid material such as aluminum, steel or the like. The heel extension 308 is provided with a central opening 320 to reduce material requirements and weight, and further to allow for de-icing due to flexing of the superimposed laminate (not shown) . If desired, the heel extension can overlie the flotation plate 318. However, it has been found that such a design can result in distracting noise and unnecessary binding/flotation plate contact. Thus, in the illustrated embodiment, opening 322 is formed in flotation plate 318 to correspond to the shape of extension 308. Preferably, rear edge 324 of opening 322 is disposed in close proximity to rear edge 326 of extension 308 so that the wearer's heel 314 abuts against flotation plate 318 during use and does not extend through opening 322. For enhanced stability, the binding support 307 preferably underlies a majority of the snowshoer's foot 316. In particular, the support 307 preferably extends beneath the arch 312 of the wearer's foot 316 to the wearer's heel 314. Thus, the length L j of support 307 is preferably at least six inches and, in the illustrated embodiment, is about 8.75 inches. In addition, the heel extension 308 extends rearwardly from traction teeth 309 a distance, d, which is preferably at least about two inches and, in the illustrated embodiment is about 3.75 inches. The support 307 is further disposed relative to pivot axis 311 so that most of the support's length is positioned rearwardly of axis 311 and, preferably, so that at least about 2/3 of the support's length is positioned rearwardly of axis 311. Figure 18 shows an alternative embodiment of the crampon portion 306, extension 308 and flotation plate 318 which accommodates small feet. During use, it is important that the wearer's foot does not extend through opening 322. As shown in Fig. 18, this can be ensured by providing extension 308 in the form of two elongated members 328. In this manner, opening 322 can be shaped so that flotation plate 318 extends forwardly between the elongated members 328 to provide heel support for shorter boots. In the illustrated embodiment, a cross-member 331 is provided between elongated members 328 for improved strength. While various embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail, it is apparent that further modifications and adaptations of the invention will occur to those skilled in the art. However, it is to be expressly understood that such modifications and adaptations are within the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Claims: What is claimed is: 1. A snowshoe, comprising: a) flotation means for providing a snow contact surface area, said flotation means having a longitudinal length and a transverse width; b) first and second substantially parallel side bars extending downwardly from said flotation means and separated from each other by a transverse distance, each of said side bars having an exposed front end for penetrating snow during forward shuffling movement, a rear end and extending substantially linearly from said front end to said rear end in a direction generally aligned with said longitudinal length of said flotation means, each of said first and second side bars further having a narrow frontal profile to facilitate snow penetration; and c) binding means for use in attaching said snowshoe to said wearer's foot. 2. The snowshoe of Claim 1, wherein said flotation means comprises a plate which defines an outermost periphery of said snowshoe. 3. The snowshoe of Claim 1, wherein said side bars are separated by a distance of at least about 5.25 inches. 4. The snowshoe of Claim 1, wherein said side bars have a length of at least about 12 inches. 5. The snowshoe of Claim 1, further comprising pivotable means for providing traction wherein said pivotable means includes attachment means for attachment to said first and second side bars. 6. The snowshoe of Claim 1, further comprising pivotable means for providing traction having a width substantially equal to said transverse distance between said first and second side bars, wherein said pivotable means is attached to said first and second side bars. 7. A snowshoe, comprising: a) flotation means for providing a snow contact surface area, said flotation means having an upper surface and a lower surface, said lower surface including a tip portion adjacent a leading edge of said flotation means and a rear portion adjacent a rear edge of said flotation means, said lower surface of said flotation means having formed therein at least one recessed channel having a forward channel end located in said rear portion of said flotation means, said channel further having a narrow width in relation to a width of said flotation means and extending along said rear portion to said rear edge of said flotation means, wherein, during forward travel, snow passes through said channel and exits said channel at said rear edge; and b) binding means for use in attaching said snowshoe to said wearer's foot. 8. The snowshoe of Claim 7, further comprising first and second side bars extending downwardly from said flotation means. 9. A snowshoe, comprising: a) flotation means for providing a snow contact surface area, said flotation means having an upper surface and a lower surface, said lower surface including first and second side portions and having a convex profile wherein said side portions are positioned lower than a central portion of said lower surface, said central portion disposed between said first and second side portions; b) first and second substantially parallel side bars extending downwardly from said flotation means along a length of said flotation means, each of said side bars including a beveled front edge; and c) binding means for use in attaching said snowshoe to said wearer's foot. 10. The snowshoe of Claim 9, further comprising first and second side bars extending downwardly from an interior portion of said flotation means. 11. A snowshoe, comprising: a) flotation means for providing a snow contact surface area, said flotation means having a longitudinal length greater than a length of a wearer's foot and a transverse width greater than a width of said wearer's foot; b) first and second longitudinal side bars extending downwardly from said flotation means and separated from each other by a transverse distance, each of said side bars having a front end and a rear end; and c) a first rear rib formed in said flotation means, said first rear rib defining an indentation in a bottom surface of said flotation means and extending longitudinally from a trailing end of said flotation means past said rear end of one of said longitudinal side bars. 12. The snowshoe of Claim 11, further comprising extension means, detachably coupled to said flotation means, for selectively increasing the snow contact surface area of said snowshoe. 13. The snowshoe of Claim 11, further comprising brake means, disposed adjacent at least one of said side bars and angled relative to said at least one of said side bars, for exerting a braking force when said snowshoe slides over snow. 14. The snowshoe of Claim 11, wherein each of said first and second side bars comprises a lower edge having indentations formed therein. 15. The snowshoe of Claim 11, further comprising pivotable platform means for interfacing said flotation means and a wearer's foot, said platform means comprising a rigid platform having an aperture and a flexible covering disposed on said platform so as to cover said aperture. 16. The snowshoe of Claim 11, further comprising a binding for attachment to a wearer's foot, said binding including at least one rigid buckle for adjusting said binding and an enlarged, flexible tab attached to said buckle to facilitate hand manipulation of said buckle. 17. A snowshoe, comprising: flotation means for providing a snow contact surface area, said flotation means having a longitudinal length and a transverse width; and extension means, detachably coupled to said flotation means, for selectively increasing the snow contact surface area of said snowshoe. 18. The snowshoe of Claim 17, wherein said extension means comprises a tail extension for attachment to a rearward portion of said flotation means. 19. The snowshoe of Claim 17, further comprising alignment means for maintaining alignment between said flotation means and said extension means. 20. The snowshoe of Claim 17, wherein said alignment means comprises mating members formed in each of said flotation means and said extension means. 21. The snowshoe of Claim 17, further comprising a first longitudinal rib formed in said extension means and a second longitudinal rib formed in said flotation means, wherein said first and second ribs matingly engage when said extension means is coupled to said flotation means. 22. A snowshoe, comprising: a) flotation means for providing a snow contact surface area, said flotation means having a longitudinal length and a transverse width; b) first and second longitudinal side bars extending downwardly from said flotation means and separated from each other by a transverse distance; and c) brake means, disposed adjacent to at least one of said side bars and angled relative to said at least one of said side bars, for exerting a braking force when said snowshoe slides over snow. 23. The snowshoe of Claim 22, wherein said brake means comprises first and second brake members extending downwardly from said flotation means, said first brake member disposed adjacent said first side bar and angled relative to said first side bar and said second brake member disposed adjacent said second side bar and angled relative to said second side bar. 24. A snowshoe, comprising: a) flotation means for providing a snow contact surface area, said flotation means having a longitudinal length and a transverse width; and b) pivotable platform means for interfacing said flotation means and a wearer's foot, said platform means comprising a rigid platform having an aperture and a flexible covering disposed on said platform so as to cover said aperture. 25. The snowshoe of Claim 24, wherein said aperture has a transverse width of at least about two inches and a longitudinal length of at least about one inch. 26. The snowshoe of Claim 24, wherein said aperture has a transverse width of at least about three inches and a longitudinal length of at least about one inch. 27. A device for facilitating manipulation of a hand operated adjustment mechanism such as a buckle, zipper or the like wherein said hand operated adjustment mechanism has an aperture, comprising: a) a unitary tab member formed from flexible material, said tab member including: i) a first widened portion having an opening and a first tapered end for threadably engaging said aperture of said hand operated adjustment mechanism; ii) a second widened portion for gripping so as to manipulate said hand operated adjustment mechanism, said second widened portion having a second tapered end for threadably engaging said opening of said first widened portion; and iii) a narrowed portion disposed between said first and second widened portions. 28. The device of Claim 27, wherein said second widened portion has an opening formed therein. 29. The device of Claim 27, wherein each of said tapered ends comprises an outwardly extending tongue. 30. A snowshoe apparatus, comprising: flotation means for providing a snow contact surface area; support means, pivotally interconnected to said flotation means relative to a pivot attachment location, for supportably underlying a foot of a snowshoe wearer, said support means including a forward portion which extends forwardly a first distance from said pivot attachment location and a rearward portion which extends rearwardly a second distance from said pivot attachment location, wherein said second distance of said rearward portion is greater than said first distance of said forward portion; and flexible attachment means, interconnected to said support means, for attaching said snowshoe apparatus to said foot of said snowshoe wearer. 31. The apparatus of Claim 30, wherein said second distance of said rearward portion is at least about twice said first distance of said forward portion. 32. The apparatus of Claim 30, wherein said support means has a length, defined by said first distance of said forward portion and said second distance of said rearward portion of at least about six inches. 33. The apparatus of Claim 30, wherein said rearward portion includes downwardly extending traction means for enhanced traction and a heel section extending rearwardly from said traction means. 34. The apparatus of Claim 33, wherein said heel section extends rearwardly at least about three inches from said traction means. 35. A snowshoe apparatus comprising: flotation means for providing a snow contact surface area; support means for supportably underlying a foot of a snowshoe wearer; and interconnection means for pivotally interconnecting said flotation means and said support means; and motion limiting means extending from one of said flotation means and said support means into a travel path of the other of said flotation means and said support means.

Inventors: FORREST BILL, FORREST, BILL
Applicants: FORRESTSMITH L L C, FORRESTSMITH, L.L.C.
Application year: 1994
Main classification: A43B5
IPC codes: A63C13